Over 1.7 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each year and over 600,000 people will die as a result. World Cancer Day is a great way to bring awareness to prevention, screening, and treatment of all types of cancers. I hope it motivates people to go out and get their screening checks for lung, breast, colon, cervical, prostate and skin cancer, and encourages people to stop smoking, drink less alcohol, and maintain a healthy weight to prevent cancer.
As a medical oncologist, I see firsthand the havoc that cancer can take on people and their families, so if we can help even just a few people to prevent it or find out they have it at an earlier stage, then events like World Cancer Day can change people’s lives. It gives us a chance to honor all of the great people in our lives affected by cancer, and realize the hardships and sacrifices that they have made.
Personally, it’s a great time to reflect on the advancements that have been made over the previous year in our fight against cancer. We’ve seen breakthroughs like immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors save people’s lives, and I believe we will only continue to make more strides in the fight against cancer.
– Dr. Jeff Yorio